Journal of a Canadian Kiwi

I liked it. Good movie, although as is usual, not as good as the book. Still, no headache like in TF2.

Well, what can you say about a film when you develop a headache almost at the beginning of it? A little too much robot detail (ie spikey things with no conceivable use...) and REALLY close filming just makes it look out of focus. Yes, I know that was the effect they were going for, but UGH just the same.

Having a Transformers fan for a husband has lent me an appreciation for the original cartoon, the characters and their personalities. Perhaps I have also picked up an unhealthy biased attitude towards Michael Bay from <cough> others, but I think the movie could have been better. It seemed to me, in the best of the Bay traditions, to be a 2.5 hour flick that devoted 2 full hours to non-stop blowing-things-up action, with a couple of really weird things thrown in. (enter the scantilly-clad co-ed with a 5 meter long robotic tongue.) Story? We don't need no stinkin story! We're gonna blow $200million on explosions! hehehe And for myself, not being as devoted a fan as some others, it was really hard to tell one Transformer from another, let alone Autobots from Deceptacons. But I could have accepted all this happily if... IF ONLY they had got Starscream's voice right! He's MUCH whinier than that! COMMON' PEOPLE! Words aren't enough. You've got to have the proper level of annoying whine to the voice to make the character! <shakes head sadly>

The silver linings... Two good things about this one. #1 the music... #2 Bumblebee stopped getting beat up so much. Yay!

My rating: **/*****

Ok. I have full-time work until 2nd of August. That is, excluding the two-week term break, for which I will not be paid. After that the principal expects I'll have lots of relief days, and she told me that she's also informed the Board that the school wants to retain me, so that might mean good news if and when another position comes up. She told me that she has now appointed two very experienced people to the school and next time should be able to appoint someone less experienced (aka ME). Let's hope it isn't that far away.

Apparently I gave "an excellent interview" and the principal "would love to have hired me", but someone with more experience applied for the job. Back to square 1.

Have got an interview for my long-term job on Tuesday. Great time for the cold to have hit...

As some of you know, I have finally landed a long-term relieving job at a school just outside of Chch. It's taken me three years of searching and applying, so you can imagine that the confidence has taken a bit of a beating, and those of you who know all about my first teaching job will know it wasn't that great to begin with. So I'm really happy to be getting this opportunity, for more than the obvious reasons of finance, and thanks to everyone who has wished me luck.

I've been going in, at the request of the principal, unpaid for the past two weeks so that I could learn the ropes from the outgoing teacher and have as smooth a transition as posible. Well, it was a nice theory, with lots of potential... Unfortunately the outgoing teacher had a lot on his mind and on his plate, as he and his wife were moving their young family out of the country on the day after his last day of work! Needless to say, I missed a lot of the practical things, such as a tour around the school network, and where the resource room is located. Oh well, the hardest part (in my opinion) was taken care of - I got to know the kids and they got to know me in a comfortable, relatively stressless environment. Today, my first day flying solo with the class, went pretty well. I always think that, as a reliever, most of your problems stem from not knowing the kids' names, but that was a non-issue for us. We had a moment this morning - one of those "Oh boy, what do I do now?" moments - when some of the work that was to be left by the outgoing teacher could not be located. We improvised. Critical world meltdown averted. Everyone was happy. At the end of class we found the missing paper work, so now I don't have to scramble around for something to do tomorrow. Everyone is happier. Tomorrow is sussed, as is the rest of the week, pretty much, so I'm hoping everything will continue to go smoothly. Little bumps in the road are okay, but it's always so much nicer when the potholes can be avoided.

The applications for the permanent position closed today, so they'll be looking at the CVs and holding interviews next week, I think. I'll be surprised if I don't get an interview, but stranger things have happened. I'm REALLY hoping that no one else more qualified or experienced applies for the job, but I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens.

You may remember a few weeks ago my post about the kitty we found on our driveway, and how the lady who came looking for him later came looking for her younger cat that hadn't come home either. Well I'm HAPPY to report that today I spotted that other little kitty, at the end of our driveway, sniffing around the garden. Normally I wouldn't be too pleased about THAT, but I was happy to see him alive and well. I don't think he's learned much over the past few weeks though, as he saw me getting into the car and immediately DASHED across our busy road, back up his own driveway. I guess the "dash away from danger" instinct is still stronger than the "look both ways before you cross the road" instinct.

I went to my first Irish dance class in 6 years last Tuesday and spent the rest of the week in agony from the knees down. It was nice to get out and do it again, and talk to people who weren't discussing how naughty their students/children are, but UGH the pain! I'm sitting here tonight contemplating all the reasons why I shouldn't go again, but then this pesky little voice in my head, we'll call him my conscience, keeps reminding me that excuses are too easy, and never much good either. That and the fact that some of the weight I lost up North is starting to creep back now that I'm not going to the gym or attending WW meetings. Do I WANT to look like a hippo in the sister-in-law's wedding photos this January? Ok, so I'll go. I know it, my conscience knows it, now we just have to find someone to tell my poor calves and feet!

The poor little kitty who pulled himself up our driveway after being hit by a car and dying there, was loved and missed. Stephen and I hadn't really known where to start looking for an owner, as there are houses to either side of us, behind us, and across the street from us, but I always felt bad thinking that there might be someone out there missing and worrying about their little kitty. Thursday night there was a knock on the door. This lady was going around the neighbourhood asking about her little black and white cat. She didn't want to believe our unkown kitty and her missing kitty were the same at first, but she showed us a picture and it was all confirmed. It was hard, she was very upset, but I'm glad that she at least KNOWS and to know that the little kitty was loved and will be missed by someone.

Blah. Second last day of holidays today (I don't count weekends as I wouldn't have to work those anyway...) and then it's back to the grind next week. I'm booked at one of the tougher schools for the first two weeks of term, doing round robin release so teachers can get running records and testing done, but after that I fully expect business to slow down. You know, teachers are on the home stretch now and can see the light at the end of the tunnel - better to slog through than take that day off to feel better. Anyway, I've managed to put out 9 more applications over the last two weeks, and am hoping another permanent position at "my school" will be posted next term. I'm going for a record 10 rejections at once this time!

Thinking of possible summer employment already. Fruit picking comes to mind. Isn't seasonal work supposed to be paid fairly well? Hmm, as long as it warms up a little, I say! It's only forecast to 12 degrees today!

Woke up this morning at about 6:30 for one reason an another, and noticed that our back security light was on. Had a peak through the back curtains and saw a little black cat with white paws and markings on his chin, lying on our driveway. He wasn't moving. Got Stephen up to confirm, the poor little thing was dead. He must've been hit by a car and dragged himself up our driveway to die. Sad. None of the immediate neighbours is missing a cat, but he could be from anywhere, knowing how cats roam and how their territories aren't necessarily near their own homes. Anyway, called the SPCA who put us onto the body collection people, who didn't want to come get him/her because s/he was on private property. Stephen managed to sweet talk them into coming, despite their regulations, which is good because we don't have a shovel to move the poor thing onto the sidewalk so that they WILL come get him/her.

Thought of the day... Isn't it odd how you can have nothing to do and yet not enough hours in the day in which to do it? 

Isn't it nice? Both NZ and Canada have ended their Olympic medal droughts on the same day! Because really, EVERYONE deserves a medal.  

Yes, it DOES happen, and not just because someone threatens to sue you if you don't! (Although that is still the most probable reason for retractions occuring, that is not the case in this... case!)

Now that I have figured out how to upload posts to my Facebook page and have experimented with what is available (and what is not) on Facebook, I have decided to take

atomsmith's advice and not delete my LJ page. There is much more scope for ranting, raving, and whinging here :)

 

 

 

 3.5 days of work last week. Not bad for the first week of term and being the new girl in town. I hope the rest of the term is as profitable and leads to that all-elusive permanent position. Rumors are begining to circulate about a bulge and theoretical primary teacher shortage in the next few years, but I want a job before that, and don't want to hang my hope on rumors.

Have been thinking about old friends a lot lately, even dreaming about some of them. I think it's always a shame when people who've shared a bond of some sort drift apart and allow themselves to completely lose touch with each other, even if you aren't the best of friends anymore. I've been trying to reconnect with a few old friends through Facebook and e-mails but so far I've encountered nothing. Hope that changes because I'd love to catch up again. With the state the world is in today, can you honestly say you have enough friends already?

Stephen started his course on Monday. It was a bit of a slow start but I think it will begin to pick up momentum next week. He's feeling more comfortable about the classes now that he knows he's not the youngest or oldest student and has found out they will be largely working at their own pace. It's hard to get back into the routine of early mornings though, especially when you've got to get up in the dark (it's darker later in the morning here than it was up north) and stand at the bus stop in the cold. I'm sure my nagging will help him along. We all do our bit. :)

 **Ok, following a friend's advice and going to see how it goes linking my LJ posts to Facebook**

School term began today. So far I'm down on the relieving lists of 13 schools, and registered with the relief-teaching agency here in Chch. Great. Of course, being the new kid on the block, I certainly didn't expect any work to fall my way in the first week of term. However, within 2 hours of dropping my CV at one of the schools, they called me and offered me a day this week. And just 5 minutes ago I got another call, offering me another day and a half this week! Hopefully this positive trend will continue, culminating in a permanent full-time position! It seems we're off to a good start in Christchurch!

HAPPY EASTER to all! No matter what your faith, I hope that you are enjoying this holiday with loved ones or friends, and that you are healthy, happy, and safe.

WooHOO! Congratulations to Canada's world junior hockey CHAMPIONS after a 3-2 OT (overtime) victory over Sweden. My only regret is that I didn't get to see any of the action. 

 Maybe I'm just having a bad day, but really, there's nothing that's gone wrong in my life today, so I doubt that's it. However I find myself increasingly ANGRY at the state the world is in. 

 
Okay, end rant. 

Sorry about that, but sometimes you just have to vent. Today was one of those days for me.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!